If the media were portraying Sinn Féin as a party in crisis there was little sign of it at the margins at this weekend's ard fheis as councillors and party workers repeatedly praised their leadership for its stance on the McCartney killing.
Sinn F é in Kerry county councillor, Toire á sa N í Fheara í osa said the party president had "taken the initiative" in suspending party members over the murder.
Ms N í Fheara í osa said Mr Adams was showing "strong leadership" when it was needed most.
She rejected the notion that the party was in crisis in the wake of the killing and the Northern Bank raid, insisting it was the peace process that was in crisis.
Omagh district councillor Barry McElduff admitted the party was under "heavy political attack" and that the current situation posed a "challenge".
But Mr McElduff said all organizations "have imperfections and it is how you respond to them that matters".
He said the leadership had done "the right thing" by inviting the McCartney family to the ardfheis and that there was huge sympathy for the family among party members.
Mr McElduff said he had no sense of diminished support for his party in the wake of recent events and was "relishing the thought of future election campaigns".
Dublin councillor Daith í Doolan believed the party would come out of this period stronger and that party support was "solid".
Mr Doolan described the McCartney killing as "outrageous" but said the party was taking a "responsible" course of action in suspending members.
He said Mr Adams had made "leadership-style decisions" and had his party's full support.
